The six justice reform laws will be brought for discussion to Parliament
this Thursday, but protests are expected against the waste import law.
Why was this law repealed three years ago? Why was it brough back now,
and are these differences really that high?
The waste recycling industry reports today investments mounting up to 230 million EUR, and employs 35.000 people. These figures have a significant impact in the economy and finances. To answer these questions, the Minister of Finances, Arben Ahmetaj, was invited this Monday on Top Channel’s Top Story.
Ahmetaj defended the moratorium imposed by his government three years ago:
“I am convinced that the moratorium was the right thing to do. We have argued that the moratorium was necessary after September. We have argued that Albania did not have the necessary instruments to control the waste import and the way how it was supposed to be done was outside government control and not focused on recycling. Until 2011, there has been no limit in importing the waste materials, and our country has imported them. There is information that they were also deposited somewhere. There are clues in Lezhe and Fier that waste materials were deposited before 2013. These clues arrived to us when we were in opposition”, h said.
The Minister mentioned the differences between the two laws, the one approved by the Berisha government, and the one recently passed by the Rama government.
“This law doesn’t allow the burying of waste materials. No wastes will be imported for burning or for burial. There are zero chances for depositing them, because we have imposed a condition. The import list is closed and limited with a recycling capacity. This guarantees a cleaner environment. We have limited only the materials that will be processed by the factories, and we have also coordinated the import with the processing capacity of these factories”, Ahmetaj said.
But what has changed in this industry since 2013? Ahmetaj left to be understood that the industry has not changed, but there is a law now that guarantees security.
“The former law was open for anyone who wanted to bring waste materials in Albania. We have a green list today and we have limited only the ones with recycling capacities”, he said.
Another increased security, according to Ahmetaj, was Customs scanning.
“We will detect radioactive substances. This scanner increases the import security. We have authorized only the recycling capacity that a factory can afford. The law of 2013 allowed anyone to import without limit”, he said.
But can they guarantee that this industry will not impact the environment negatively?
“I guarantee that the green list and the correct implementation of the inspection rules is a normality. The green list does not pollute”, Ahmetaj declared.
The Minister said that the law would enter in effect gradually, and the first phase foresees only imports from the Durres Customs, while the government will authorize frequently ad hoc groups and civil society commissions to monitor the process.
Top Channel
